Solar activity was very low. No flares were detected. The visible disk was spotless.

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit reached high levels throughout the period.

The geomagnetic field was at quiet to unsettled levels during 22 - 24 October. Activity increased to quiet to major storm levels on 25 October with a sudden impulse (15 nT) detected by the Boulder USGS magnetometer at 25/1138 UTC. Activity decreased to quiet to active levels during 26 - 27 October. Activity decreased to quiet to unsettled levels during the rest of the period. ACE solar wind data indicated the 25 - 27 October activity was the result of a recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream (HSS). The HSS was preceded by a co-rotating interaction region (CIR), which reached the ACE spacecraft at approximately 25/1030 UTC. IMF changes associated with the CIR included increased Bt (peak 20.5 nT at 25/1406 UTC) andincreased Bz variability (minimum -16.8 nT at 25/1358 UTC). A proton density increase was also associated with the CIR (peak 17.6 p/cc at 25/1240 UTC). Solar wind velocities increased during 25 October and reached a peak of 733.8 km/sec at 25/2340 UTC. The HSS began to gradually subside on 26 October.Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity31 October - 26 November 2007

Solar activity is expected to be very low.

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels during 31 October - 08 November and 16 - 26 November.

The geomagnetic field was at quiet to unsettled levels during 22 - 24 October. Activity increased to quiet to major storm levels on 25 October with a sudden impulse (15 nT) detected by the Boulder USGS magnetometer at 25/1138 UTC. Activity decreased to quiet to active levels during 26 - 27 October. Activity decreased to quiet to unsettled levels during the rest of the period. ACE solar wind data indicated the 25 - 27 October activity was the result of a recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream (HSS). The HSS was preceded by a co-rotating interaction region (CIR), which reached the ACE spacecraft at approximately 25/1030 UTC. IMF changes associated with the CIR included increased Bt (peak 20.5 nT at 25/1406 UTC) andincreased Bz variability (minimum -16.8 nT at 25/1358 UTC). A proton density increase was also associated with the CIR (peak 17.6 p/cc at 25/1240 UTC). Solar wind velocities increased during 25 October and reached a peak of 733.8 km/sec at 25/2340 UTC. The HSS began to gradually subside on 26 October.

Moscow, 30 October: Russia’s state-owned radio station The Voice of Russia [Golos Rossii] has launched radio broadcasts on the FM 88 frequency in Afghanistan.

“Blocks of programmes are broadcast daily from 0900 to 1000 and from 1400 to 1500 local time [0530-0630 gmt and 1030-1130 gmt] in Kabul, Herat and Jalalabad,” the Voice of Russia press service told Interfax on Tuesday [30 October]. “The broadcasts are in Pashto and Dari.”

The spokesperson added: “We offer the [Afghan] audience international news, reports on problems in the region, on Moscow’s relations with the Islamic world, programmes on Russian-Afghan relations, on current events in Russia and the life of the Afghan community in the Russian Federation that exceeds 100,000 people.”

The spokesperson said that “the Voice of Russia hopes to become for Afghan listeners a source of up-to-date, objective information about the situation in contemporary Russia, about its foreign and domestic policy”. [Passage omitted to end]

The financially-strapped Israel Broadcasting Authority may find a partial way out of its deficit with the help of HOT cable television, with which the IBA has signed a contract to produce local news.

The contract requires an amendment to the Broadcasting Authority Law as well as the approval of the Knesset Economics Committee.

If the law is changed and there is a nod from the committee, the IBA will produce news from Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Beersheba, Sderot and Kiryat Shmona in addition to news broadcasts in Arabic.(Source: Jerusalem Post/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Zimbabwe’s state-run radio stations are now streaming live on the Internet, just months after state television also launched on JumpTV – a Dubai-based distributor of live international television and sports programmes over the Internet. The country’s four radio stations - Power FM, National FM, Radio Zimbabwe and SFM - all run by the state-owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings, went live on 12 October.

“The stations’ programmes are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and form part of the Zimbabwe package on JumpTV.com for US$10.95 per month,” JumpTV announced in a statement today.

ZBC TV was launched on JumpTV.com in May this year and is one of the highest viewed television channels from Africa on JumpTV’s online television network which streams over 300 channels from 85 countries, the company said.

“ZBC’s radio stations enhance our content offering from Zimbabwe, giving our subscribers full access to news and entertainment from home”, said Douglas Ames, JumpTV’s General Manager for Africa & Europe.

Henry Muradzikwa, Chief Executive Officer of ZBC said: “We began streaming ZBC TV with JumpTV earlier this year and the feedback from subscribers has been overwhelmingly positive. We welcome the addition of our radio programmes on the Internet”.

Zimbabwe’s radio stations make it a total of 10 radio stations streamed live from Africa on JumpTV.com in addition to over 35 live television channels. Uganda’s top five radio stations were the first radio to be added to JumpTV’s platform from Africa in September 2007.

ZBC is expected to share revenue raised from subscriptions to the channel. Millions of Zimbabweans have left the country, fleeing an unprecedented economic collapse and rising poverty. JumpTV officials are aiming to tap into that market, although media analysts believe many will subscribe simply for nostalgic purposes, pointing to the political bias of ZBC programmes.(Source: NewZimbabwe.com/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)Photo: ZBC QSL/Archive Collection

WRN, the UK-based television and radio transmission company, has signed a contract with Rainbow Radio to start broadcasting the station across North America via the Galaxy 25 digital satellite. Rainbow Radio, which describes itself as “the premier-licensed Ghanaian/West African commercial radio”, is currently broadcasting across the UK and Ireland on Sky, channel 0207.

Mac Amoah, CEO, Rainbow Radio, says “We have had huge interest from the Ghanaian/West African community in USA and Canada to our station so broadcasting to North America via satellite was an imperative for us.”

Rainbow Radio is described by Mr Amoah as “providing a voice for the voiceless, hope for the hopeless, knowledge for the ignorant, future for the youth and entertainment for all in an African context.” It debuted on Sky and on DAB in July 2005 and today it has a diverse listenership which Mr Amoah estimates to be in excess of a million people per week, with 90% of these being West Africans - mostly from Ghana.

It offers its listeners a variety of informative, educational and entertaining programmes, ranging from current affairs and politics, religious discussions, marriage and romance advice, sports and entertainment, and news and views. The music selection is wide and extensive, ranging from Hi-Life, Hip-life, Zouk, Makossa, Afrobeat, Reggae, Gospel and many more.

The station is currently available in the USA to listeners on mobile cellphones via the UpSnap mobile service and it goes live on the Galaxy 25 digital satellite tomorrow, 30 October.(Source: WRN/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Brazil4754.9 Radio Educacao Rural; 0239-0300+, 28-Oct; 2M in Portuguese with religiousdiscussion to SID @0241+; single M after SID; no break @0300. SIO=332+, slight swiper & occasional ute burst QRM. Not //5035 at this time which was Apercida. (Frodge-DXP)

France21695 Voice of Africa-Radio Jamahiriyah, Libya; 1506-1531+, 27-Oct; EE discussion with South African visitor; ID @1519+ after drum chant as Voice of Africa from the ? Homeland & @1524+, This is the VoA coming from the Great Jamahiriyah. SIO=2+52+ w/strong xmtr hum. //17870 slightly better but also w/xmtr hum. (Frodge-DXP)

Oman15140 Radio Sultantate of Oman; 1400, 27-Oct; No hint at all of English service--or any signal. (FRodge-DXP)

Papua new Guinea3235 Radio West New Britain; 1056-1119+, 28-Oct; Low-key relifious music in English and locallanguages. Brief anmt by M in English before 1100, then lady announcer in in Pidgin language. Didn't hear clear ID, but PNG mentioned. SIO=2+52+(Frodge-DXP)

Sweden15735 Radio Sweden; 1320, 27-Oct; Magazine pgm in Swedish; switched to EE @1329 w/Week in Review. SIO=254-, //15240 via Sackville, S30 sig. 15735 went completely off @1328:32 for about 20 sec. then back on. The EE segment sig was not quite as good as the Swedish segment. 15240 did not go off. (Frodge-DXP)

The Hong Kong government will launch a public consultation later this year on the future of public broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong. Frederic Ma Si-hang, the territory’s Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, said the consultation would be detailed and could last six months. ”Some RTHK staff might worry the restructuring exercise is the equivalent of dismantling the station. I don’t want them to look at the issue from this angle,” Ma said.

RTHK has been under a political cloud since March. Then the government laid out plans for a statutory independent public broadcaster, but warned that RTHK might not be that company. Since the Spring RTHK has scored a series of own goals. Director of broadcasting Chui Pui-hing resigned following a well-publicized sex scandal. More recently, assistant broadcasting director Cheung Man-sun was arrested for drink driving and only last week prominent DJ Leung Ka-fai admitted fraud charges. Ma said the series of events had “damaged (RTHK’s)” image.

Saturday, October 27, 2007

New program about Venezuela"Acontecer Venezolano" is a new program (in Spanish) of opinion and news. It's presented and produced by Jose Torrellas who in his own personal, dynamic and objective manner tells about topics of political and economic interest, sports, etc. related to what's happening in the Venezuela. Through this program, you can find out more about Venezuela, a beautiful country which wants to continue living in freedom and democracy, as it should be. "Acontecer Venezolano" is broadast Saturdays at 9:45-10:00 pm Miami time (0145-0200 UTC Sunday) on 9955 kHz. As of November 4, the UTC time will be 0245-0300. For more information, you can e-mail acontecervenezolano@gmail.com .

New Cuban Program in EnglishWe invite you to listen to our new program in English, "The Voice of the Center for Human Rights and Democracy Brigade 2506" on Sundays at 11:00-11:15 am Miami time (1500-1515 UTC) on 7385 kHz. It can also be heard on our web page at www.wrmi.net. Archived programs can be found on the Center's web page at www.cdhd2506.org. This is the only English-language program from the Cuban exile community that is on shortwave radio. The focus of the program will be to present cases of human rights violations on a global level with special emphasis on cases of repression in totalitarian systems, specifically Cuba. The same organization has a weekly Spanish-language program on Saturdays at 6:00-6:30 pm Miami time (2200-2230 UTC) on 9955 kHz. Note that broadcasts will be one hour later according to UTC as of November 4.

New QSL Cards from WRMIRadio Miami International is offering a series of QSL cards featuring various programs that are broadcast by the station. They are available free of charge for reception reports on these programs. Reports may be sent by postal mail to WRMI, P.O. Box 526852, Miami, Florida 33152 USA, o vía e-mail to info@wrmi.net . Multiple reports for different programs can be sent in the same envelope or in the same e-mail. Here is a list of the cards that are currently available and some of the times and frequencies that these programs are aired:

* The QSL for DX Party Line and Aventura Diexista is the same card. Both programs are from HCJB.

These are some of the broadcast times for the programs indicated; in many cases they are broadcast at other times as well. In the near future, WRMI will publish QSL cards for other programs as well. The UTC times for all programs will be one hour later as of November 4 when the local time change takes place in North America.

WRMI at EDXC 2007WRMI General Manager Jeff White and his wife Thais White will be representing Radio Miami International at the 2007 European DX Council Conference at the Hotel Dischma in Lugano, Switzerland November 1-4. They will be manning an exhibit there for the National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters, and Jeff will give a presentation about the current state of shortwave broadcasting in the Americas.

Old Vampire Radio6925u 10/25 20:08 sio433, a young woman talking about a session with an Ouija board, "Knights in White Satin" parody, id at 20:12, guy talking about a spooky light bulb, song "My Best Friend is a Vampire" (Fansome PA)

Khartoum, 25 October: The National Council for Radio and Television will launch an experimental broadcast of Salam [peace] Radio for the first time on Saturday [27 October]. The radio will be available on FM and 312 [metres medium wave] to cover all parts of the country and spread the culture of peace and remove remnants of war.

This was announced by the general manager of the National Council for Radio and Television, Dr Amin Hasan Umar, in a press conference today on this occasion.

Dr Amin said Salam Radio will be a first of it kind for the community to participate in building a suitable society that will reflect all the cultures of peace to achieve and support in solving communal problems. [Passage omitted]

Zero, zero, zero sunspots for 18 straight days now. A single sunspot appeared briefly October 6-7, no sunspots for four days prior, one sunspot for the final few days of September, and none for the three whole weeks prior to that.

Until recently, many of us thought the solar cycle minimum occurred in March of this year. You can see a table of projected smoothed numbers with a minimum in March 2007 at, http://tinyurl.com/27j2fs .

This year we began looking at a table of 3-month sunspot number averages, and for a while the data seemed to support a March minimum. But then we hit this longer period of no sunspots, and the 3-month average dropped again. You can see the most recent table in Propagation Forecast Bulletin ARLP041 at, http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/prop/2007-arlp041.html . Note the 10.2 average assigned to August (which is the middle of the July through September period the 3-month average is based on) is lower than March, which was 11.2.

With such a long period of so few sunspots, at the beginning of November we might see a much lower 3-month average. This is because the sum of all the daily sunspot numbers from August 1 until now is only 492, and if we still see no sunspots through next Wednesday, that total divided by the number of days for August-September-October (92) is only 5.4.

So how low is 5.4, compared to the last solar minimum? I looked at averages between December 1995 and April 1997, and the only time the 3-month average of sunspot numbers dipped below 10 was in 1996, with 9.9 in March and 8.7 in September:

But this doesn't really tell us when solar activity will increase, just that we are currently seeing lower overall sunspot activity than we did at the last solar minimum eleven years ago.

With no sunspots, it is sometimes amazing what hams can work on the air. Geomagnetic activity increased on October 25 due to solar wind, and just ahead of that Dick Hanna, K3VYY of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania worked two Florida stations on 28.37 MHz at 0100z, which was two and a half hours after his local sunset. This is an unusual time for propagation over this path, which would normally occur during the middle of the day with the sunspot number over 100.

Jon Jones, N0JK of Wichita, Kansas reported some good E-layer skip on 6 meters for around 2 hours on October 20, beginning at 0115z. He worked VE3DXP/W7 in Las Vegas, and K7ICW was also loud from New Mexico. He also heard some double-hop E-skip from Washington State and Florida. Jon commented that E-skip is rare in October.

During an hour at lunch on October 25, Chip Margelli, K7JA reported from Southern California, "10 meters opened up from California to Europe and Africa for the first time in a very long time. Besides the loud Caribbean stations, CT1CJJ, CU2AF, GM3POI, MM0SJH, CU3EQ, C52C, and 5H3EE were great finds on 28 MHz between 1900-2000z." K7SS in Seattle reported that mid-day West Coast time, he heard C52C on 10 meters and heard K7RI work him.

This weekend is the CQ World Wide DX Phone Contest, and geomagnetic activity should calm by the start of the event. Predicted planetary A index for October 26-31 is 20, 12, 10, 15, 10 and 8. Geophysical Institute Prague predicts unsettled to active conditions October 26, unsettled October 27, quiet to unsettled October 28, unsettled October 29-30, quiet to unsettled October 31, and quiet conditions on November 1.

Shortwave Radio Station Jülich -T Systems InternationalCompany operates transmitters in Germany leased by shortwave stations, clandestines, and independent stations throughout the world. Located in northwest Germany, T-Systems is recognized as one of the leading transmission sites in Europe.

Verifications for most stations using T-Systems may be requested by writing T-Systems International at the following mail address:T-Systems Business Services GmbHMedia and BroadcastMr. Walter BrodowskyBusiness Unit HoerfunkBastionstrasse 11-19Bastionstr. 11-19D-52428 JüelichGermany